The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-01-15
Winter Thoughts.

Winter is here, with it's clear skies,
its raging storms, its intense cold and
it's gorgeous mornings, "when last
nights snow hangs lightly on the
trees" and the wind "sends it drifting
through the air like fine gold" There
will be gladness in the ring of sleigh.
bells, and luxury of long breaths in the
rich, cool air OF frosty afternoon, as
one is taken rapidly along by fast
horses.
Yet but a few years have elapsed
since the clangor OF the war trumpets
echoed the blasts of Old Boreas. We
remember these war winters 18th shud-
derine. How we lay awake in the
nighttime, and thought, and thought,
and thought, wondering whether
those we loved were lying out in the
cold night air, or shivering under their
shelter-tents, or whether they were
hot and fierce in the fire OF battle, or
whether, perchance, they might not
lie, colder than ice, with calm faces set
for eternity, under the snow. No
human imagination can estimate the
agonies OF those four winters. Earth
never saw such an amount before
within so brief time. In all the
catalogue OF wars and sufferings, there
is no such account as this OF vast
people, OF whom nearly every house.
hold was in mourning, or else fearing
the wind OF the winter, lest it might
bring as its cold burden the last sigh
of some one beloved.
1t has passed away like g. dream.
The silver-toned trumpets of peace
have sounded, and now that the win
ter is here again, no sound of armed
conflict is heard on the American soil.
But somehow it is impossible even yet
to arise out OF the gloom, or to realize
the truth that the land is at peace
The memory OF our griefs is ever pres
emit. The weight OF individual sorrows
cannot be lightly thrown off, Dor will
the heart OF the people rise to it's old
beat OF happiness for many winters,
not, indeed, until THE generation shall
have nearly passed away. There is
something IN the approach OF winter
which steadily increases, rather than
dnninishes, the weight OF great sor-
row. The evenings are longer, an
grief is always heavier iu the dark
The inclination to remain within
| doors and contine ones self to house
hold scenes and familiar objects, re-
| mindiDe us Of the past and the lost,
| revives, instead OF alaying regret Ia
the country, especially, where houses
| are lar apart. and society IS not the
| crowd we have in the city, it will be
many winters before the tireside ceases
to be surrounded by saddened faces,
and the conversation changes from
the sorrowful stories of those four
| years.
1t is pleasant, however, to see that
| as the first SHOWS OF winter Written the
| graves OF those who wore the blue and
those who wore the gray, the nation
is evincine g disposition to bury in
those graves all the bitterness oil the
| past, and cover 1t out OF sight forever
So doing, it will hereafter seem not so
sad to have lost those who sleep under
the snow. II out OF our common loss
IN the strife should rise up feeling OF
common interest OF each other; If we
| cultivate sympathy and sorrow for
every household in the land which
mourns One fallen on either side; il the
sentiment OF common affection, and
therefore OF common humanity end
suffering. should outgrow the snimos
tiles OF the struggle, aud pity over